Apparatus and method for coordinated music playback in wireless ad-hoc networks

ABSTRACT

The present invention details a novel application of wireless networking and digital music technologies to achieve coordinated and synchronized music playback among peer listeners connected by wireless ad-hoc networks. Two or more listeners in local proximity allowed by short-range wireless transmission can participate and listen to the same song at the same time. Moreover, the present invention allows listeners in the transmission range to discover each other through profile matching. A high matching score may indicate similar preference or taste to a certain music style thereby easily locating mutual interests, which would not have been possible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus formusic playback. More particularly, the present invention relates to amethod and an apparatus for coordinated and synchronized music playbackin local spatial proximity with wireless ad hoc networks.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Traditional portable musical entertainment, best exemplified byWalkman and portable CD players, is usually confined to individuallisteners. In general, for a group of music listeners to share mutualmusic listening, the only way is to play music loudly to the open space.However, it might cause nuisances to other persons, who have nointention for listening, while the music is playing loudly. Therefore,it is advantageous for music sharers to confine mutual music sharing toonly persons who intend to listen.

[0005] With leaping advances in wireless networking and digital musictechnologies such as Bluetooth and MP3, portable musical entertainmentcan be shared and appreciated simultaneously by more than one personwithout playing music out loudly. Furthermore, music sharers can decideto appreciate mutual musical entertainment simultaneously with only thechosen sharers.

[0006] Prior art relating to music carrying radio lacks the mechanismsand methods to achieve the aforementioned objective. For example, Bottum(U.S. Pat. No 6,014,569) uses cellular communication systems to deliverasynchronous audio to subscribers. There is no mechanism to ensuresynchronous audio reception and playback among the logged-onsubscribers. Cluts (U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,876) asks user to select songsfrom a collection to form a preferred song list. The computer serverthen analyzes this list to suggest more songs similar to userpreference. There is no method to suggest how two or multiple users canmatch their mutual preference to music.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In view of the foregoing, it is an objective of the presentinvention to provide a method and an apparatus that use wireless ad-hocnetworks to coordinate and synchronize song playback between two or moreusers who wish to share mutual music listening.

[0008] The present invention details a novel application of wirelessnetworking and digital music technologies to achieve coordinated andsynchronized music playback among peer listeners connected by wirelessad-hoc networks. Two or more listeners in local proximity allowed byshort-range wireless transmission can participate and listen to the samesong at the same time. Moreover, the present invention allows listenersin the transmission range to discover each other through profilematching. A high matching score may indicate similar preference or tasteto a certain music style thereby easily locating mutual interests, whichwould not have been possible.

[0009] As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention providesa method and an apparatus for coordinated and synchronized musicplayback in local spatial proximity with wireless ad hoc networks. Theplayback/listening system includes at least two or moreplayback/listening apparatus used respectively by at least two or moreusers. The playback/listening apparatus enhanced with profile matchingfunctionality comprises four key components: a wireless transceiver, arandom access controller, a profile storage and matching unit, and amusic playback unit. The playback/listening apparatus can operate in atleast two modes, listening mode and advertising mode, for profilematching. These two modes constitute two basic and necessaryfunctionality.

[0010] The method for coordinated and synchronized music playback inlocal spatial proximity with wireless ad hoc networks includes thefollowing steps: establishing a wireless ad-hoc network between at leasta first listening apparatus used by the first user and a secondlistening apparatus used by the second user; sending a first messagefrom the first apparatus to a public channel; scanning the publicchannel and receiving the first message to the second apparatus;responding to the first apparatus by sending a second message from thesecond apparatus to direct the first apparatus to a private channel;sending a first profile from the first apparatus to the private channel;performing matching evaluation between the first profile and a secondprofile of the second apparatus in the second apparatus based on aspecific criterion; sending the second profile to the first apparatus;performing matching evaluation between the second profile and the firstprofile in the first apparatus; selecting a song; synchronizing playingthe song; scanning the public channel and receiving the first message toa third apparatus used by a third user over the wireless ad-hoc network;responding to the third apparatus by sending a third message from thefirst apparatus to direct the third apparatus to the private channel;and synchronizing playing the song in the apparatuses.

[0011] The present invention relates to an apparatus for coordinated andsynchronized music playback in local spatial proximity through wirelessad hoc networks. With the apparatus of the present invention, peerlisteners can share music listening without playing the music outloudly.

[0012] The present invention allows listeners in the transmission rangeto discover one another through profile matching, thereby locating themusic public based on matched profiles. The present invention thereforehas potential applications in sociality, merchandising, or marketing.

[0013] The invention and the attendant advantages thereof will be betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying figures.

[0014] It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following detailed description are exemplary, andare intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention. In the drawings,

[0016]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the four key components of anapparatus in a system according to one preferred embodiment of thisinvention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the processing steps whenthe system is in the listening mode according to one preferredembodiment of this invention;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the processing steps whenthe system is in the advertising mode according to one preferredembodiment of this invention.

[0019]FIG. 4 is a functional diagram illustrating various combinationsof matching and playback functions that the listening apparatus maychoose to implement according to one preferred embodiment of thisinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The present invention provides a method for providing coordinatedand synchronized music playback at the same time for two or morelisteners in local proximity and a music playback/listening system forapplying the aforementioned method.

[0021] The aforementioned playback/listening system includes at leasttwo or more playback/listening apparatus used respectively by at leasttwo or more users. The playback/listening apparatus can be simplified tohave no profile matching capability or be further enhanced and enrichedwith profile matching capability. FIG. 1 illustrates four key componentsof the apparatus for the playback/listening system, comprising awireless transceiver (100), a random access controller (102), a profilestorage and matching unit (104), and a music playback unit (106). Thewireless transceiver (100) can be implemented by any short-range radiotechnology, such as but not limited to Bluetooth, 802.11, or DECT. Thetransceiver constantly listens to a pre-programmed public channel fornew, remote parties. It can also connect to a remote party through anassigned private channel. The random access controller (102) instructswhich channel the wireless transceiver should be sending or receivingmessages. It also determines the frequency of advertising the presenceof the apparatus to other remote parties. The profile storage andmatching unit (104) stores the musical preference of the user as a localprofile and performs matching between the local profile and a receivedprofile from a remote party. For example, a profile can be as simple asa list of songs stored in the playback unit or even a whole recordincluding music playing history. High matching scores thus generallyindicate similarity in music preference and taste between users. Anine-out-of-ten match between two song lists is considered strongmatching. No intersection indicates low or no matching. The user can setup a criterion to decide whether the degree of matching is appropriate.Other possible matching criteria include music style, release dates,singer, conductor, and song writers etc. The profile matching functioncan also be implemented by displaying the profile of the remote party onscreen. Human user then reviews and decides to accept or reject throughconventional selecting means, for example, pressing a button or aswitch. The music playback unit (106) can be a digital device thatstores and plays songs. The unit may be implemented based on but notlimited to MP3, MIDI and other digital audio technologies.

[0022] The enhanced playback/listening apparatus can operate in at leasttwo or more modes for profile matching. One mode is named “listeningmode” while another is named “advertising mode”. These two modesconstitute two basic and necessary functionality.

[0023]FIG. 2 illustrates the processing steps when the apparatusoperates in the listening mode. In this mode, the wireless transceiverscans the public channel for newly joined remote parties, which send outannouncements containing their signatures (200). Messages andannouncements are digital data packets like Internet Protocol (IP)packets. Each apparatus has a factory assigned unique signature. Theannouncement message from a remote party is relayed to the random accesscontroller, which examines the signature of the remote party (202). Therandom access controller keeps a list of signatures from recentlycontacted but failed parties. Failed parties need not be contactedagain. If the new signature is not in the list, the random accesscontroller then instructs the wireless transceiver to scan for privatechannels not in use. The random access controller then selects oneavailable private channel, and responds to the remote party with a newmessage containing the number of this channel (206). Futurecorrespondence between the two parties will use the established privatechannel.

[0024] Upon receiving the response to its announcement message, theremote party sends its profile through the private channel (208). Theprofile matching unit at the local apparatus (used by the local party)then performs matching evaluation. If it is a good match, the localapparatus sends its own profile to the remote party for verification andconfirmation (210). The remote party performs its matching and if itagrees to proceed, sends out confirmation and selects a song thatappears in both profiles to play. Both parties then synchronize and playthe selected song at the same time (212). The aforementioned step can bereferred as “local playback”. However, if the selected song is presentin only one party (i.e. either the local or the remote party), theselected song needs to be transmitted to another party in order to beplayed at the same time, thus referring as “radio-in playback”hereafter. It depends on the available bandwidth of the wireless, ad-hocnetwork to decide whether local playback or radio-in playback can beapplied. In the listening mode, the system passively waits for newannouncements. The above flow diagram applies equally to twoparty-linking as well as multi-party linking.

[0025] For a more complicated scenario of the method with profilematching, a wireless ad-hoc network between at least a first listeningapparatus in advertising mode and a second listening apparatus inlistening mode is first established. After the first apparatus sends asignature to a public channel, the second apparatus scans the publicchannel and detect the signature of the first apparatus. The secondapparatus then responds to the first apparatus by sending a message todirect the first apparatus to a private channel. The first apparatussends its profile to the private channel. Afterwards, the secondapparatus performs matching evaluation between its own profile and theprofile of the first apparatus in the second apparatus based on aspecific criterion. If the criterion is met, the second apparatus sendsits profile to the first apparatus. After the first apparatus performingmatching evaluation between both profiles in the first apparatus, bothapparatuses synchronize playing the song. The selected song can beplayed either in local playback or radio-in playback.

[0026] Multiple parties can be joined together one at a time byresponding to the announcement, which is described next. FIG. 3illustrates the processing steps when the system operates in theadvertising mode. In this mode, the local system actively seeks forprofile-matched remote parties. It first sends out announcement with itsown signature (300). The wireless transceiver then listens to the publicchannel for responses and relays the responses, one at a time, to therandom access controller (302). For each response, the controllerretrieves the local profile and forwards it to the remote party forprofile matching (304). If the remote party responds with positiveconfirmation, the profile of the remote party is matched locally (308).A good match will then leads to the selection of a matched song forplayback (310).

[0027] When two or more devices (referred as the playback group) areparticipating in synchronized playback, a new apparatus (using by a newparty) may join by responding to the announcement message from theadvertising apparatus. The interactions between the new apparatus andthe advertising apparatus follow the same procedure illustrated in FIG.3. There is one more step after (310). In this step, the advertisingapparatus, which is participating in the playback, sends out a channelreset message to the newly joined device. The channel reset messagecontains the channel number shared by the playback group. The newlyjoined device then switches and listens to the shared channel number inorder to synchronize its playback with the playback group. At thispoint, the newly joined device is part of the playback group. A playbackgroup may be formed by inviting new devices one at a time following theabove procedure.

[0028] It is noted that multi-party synchronized playback assumes thatat least one song is available on all apparatuses or one device willactively transmit songs over the wireless channel. Enforcing thecriterion can be easily imposed by the advertising device, whichexchanges and stores profile information with others.

[0029] Music playback can continue when the system operates in eithermode, listening or advertising. It is up to the owner to decide what todo when a new match is found. The owner may elect to continue thecurrent playback, or to start with a new song.

[0030] It is noted that the method of this invention for interactivelyplaying music between multiple users can be summarized as combinationsaccording to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a functional diagram illustrating variouscombinations of matching and playback functions a listening apparatusmay choose to implement. The simplest case of this invention is thecombination of A1-B1-C1, as a playback/listening system having twointeractive listening apparatuses without profile matching and in localplayback. This simple scenario is within the scope of the presentinvention.

[0031] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure of the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present inventioncover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fallwithin the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for interactively playing music betweenmultiple users, including at least a first user and a second user,comprising the steps of: establishing a wireless ad-hoc network betweenat least a first listening apparatus used by the first user and a secondlistening apparatus used by the second user; sending a first messagefrom the first apparatus to a public channel; scanning the publicchannel and receiving the first message to the second apparatus;responding to the first apparatus by sending a second message from thesecond apparatus to direct the first apparatus to a private channel;sending a first profile from the first apparatus to the private channel;performing matching evaluation between the first profile and a secondprofile of the second apparatus in the second apparatus based on aspecific criterion, wherein only if the criterion is met, the secondprofile will be sent out; sending the second profile to the firstapparatus; performing matching evaluation between the second profile andthe first profile in the first apparatus; selecting a song from thefirst and the second profiles by the first apparatus; and synchronizingplaying the song in the first and the second apparatuses.
 2. The methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein after the step of synchronizing playingthe song, the method can further include the following steps: scanningthe public channel and receiving the first message to a third apparatusused by a third user over the wireless ad-hoc network; responding to thethird apparatus by sending a third message from the first apparatus todirect the third apparatus to the private channel; and synchronizingplaying the song in the first, the second and the third apparatuses. 3.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of establishing thewireless ad-hoc network comprises performing short-range radiotechnologies.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step ofsending the first message from the first apparatus comprises sending afirst signature of the first apparatus as identification.
 5. The methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of responding to the firstapparatus by sending a second message from the second apparatuscomprises sending a second signature of the second apparatus asidentification.
 6. A method for interactively playing music betweenmultiple users, including at least a first user and a second user,comprising the steps of: establishing a wireless ad-hoc network betweenat least a first listening apparatus used by the first user and a secondlistening apparatus used by the second user; sending a first messagefrom the first apparatus to a public channel; scanning the publicchannel and receiving the first message to the second apparatus;responding to the first apparatus by sending a second message from thesecond apparatus to direct the first apparatus to a private channel;selecting a song; and synchronizing playing the song in the apparatuses.7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein after the step ofresponding to the first apparatus by sending a second message from thesecond apparatus, the method can further include the following steps:sending a first profile from the first apparatus to the private channel;performing matching evaluation between the first profile and a secondprofile of the second apparatus in the second apparatus based on aspecific criterion, wherein only if the criterion is met, the secondprofile will be sent out; sending the second profile to the firstapparatus; performing matching evaluation between the second profile andthe first profile in the first apparatus.
 8. The method as claimed inclaim 6, wherein after the step of synchronizing playing the song, themethod can further include the following steps: scanning the publicchannel and receiving the first message to a third apparatus used by athird user over the wireless ad-hoc network; responding to the thirdapparatus by sending a third message from the first apparatus to directthe third apparatus to the private channel; and synchronizing playingthe song in the first, the second and the third apparatuses.
 9. Themethod as claimed in claim 6, wherein after the step of responding tothe first apparatus by sending a second message from the secondapparatus, the method can further include the following steps: sending afirst profile from the first apparatus to the private channel;performing matching evaluation between the first profile and a secondprofile of the second apparatus in the second apparatus based on aspecific criterion, wherein only if the criterion is met, the secondprofile will be sent out; sending the second profile to the firstapparatus; performing matching evaluation between the second profile andthe first profile in the first apparatus; after synchronizing playingthe song, scanning the public channel and receiving the first message toa third apparatus used by a third user over the wireless ad-hoc network;responding to the third apparatus by sending a third message from thefirst apparatus to direct the third apparatus to the private channel;and synchronizing playing the song in the first, the second and thethird apparatuses.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein thestep of establishing the wireless ad-hoc network comprises performingshort-range radio technologies.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 6,wherein the step of sending the first message from the first apparatuscomprises sending a first signature of the first apparatus asidentification.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stepof responding to the first apparatus by sending a second message fromthe second apparatus comprises sending a second signature of the secondapparatus as identification.
 13. A method for interactively playingmusic between multiple users, including at least a first user and asecond user, comprising the steps of: establishing a wireless ad-hocnetwork between at least a first listening apparatus used by the firstuser and a second listening apparatus used by the second user;exchanging a sequence of messages between the first apparatus and thesecond apparatus; selecting a song; and synchronizing playing the songin the apparatuses.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein thestep of exchanging a sequence of messages between the first apparatusand the second apparatus further comprises: sending a first message fromthe first apparatus to a public channel; scanning the public channel andreceiving the first message to the second apparatus; and responding tothe first apparatus by sending a second message from the secondapparatus to direct the first apparatus to a private channel.
 15. Themethod as claimed in claim 14, wherein after the step of responding tothe first apparatus by sending a second message from the secondapparatus, the method can further include the following steps: sending afirst profile from the first apparatus to the private channel;performing matching evaluation between the first profile and a secondprofile of the second apparatus in the second apparatus based on aspecific criterion, wherein only if the criterion is met, the secondprofile will be sent out; sending the second profile to the firstapparatus; performing matching evaluation between the second profile andthe first profile in the first apparatus.
 16. The method as claimed inclaim 13, wherein after the step of synchronizing playing the song, themethod can further include the following steps: scanning the publicchannel and receiving the first message to a third apparatus used by athird user over the wireless ad-hoc network; responding to the thirdapparatus by sending a third message from the first apparatus to directthe third apparatus to the private channel; and synchronizing playingthe song in the first, the second and the third apparatuses.
 17. Themethod as claimed in claim 14, wherein after the step of responding tothe first apparatus by sending a second message from the secondapparatus, the method can further include the following steps: sending afirst profile from the first apparatus to the private channel;performing matching evaluation between the first profile and a secondprofile of the second apparatus in the second apparatus based on aspecific criterion, wherein only if the criterion is met, the secondprofile will be sent out; sending the second profile to the firstapparatus; performing matching evaluation between the second profile andthe first profile in the first apparatus; after synchronizing playingthe song, scanning the public channel and receiving the first message toa third apparatus used by a third user over the wireless ad-hoc network;responding to the third apparatus by sending a third message from thefirst apparatus to direct the third apparatus to the private channel;and synchronizing playing the song in the first, the second and thethird apparatuses.
 18. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein thestep of establishing the wireless ad-hoc network comprises performingshort-range radio technologies.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 14,wherein the step of sending the first message from the first apparatuscomprises sending a first signature of the first apparatus asidentification.
 20. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the stepof responding to the first apparatus by sending a second message fromthe second apparatus comprises sending a second signature of the secondapparatus as identification.
 21. An interactive multi-party linkingmusic listening system comprising at least two listening apparatusescommunicating over a wireless ad-hoc network, wherein one of thelistening apparatuses is a first listening apparatus, the firstlistening apparatus at least comprising: a first signature to identifythe first listening apparatus; a plurality of channels for communicatingbetween the listening apparatuses, wherein the channels include at leastone public channel for advertising the first signature; a controlledinterface for enabling interactive communication over the wirelessad-hoc network; a random access controller for instructing the channelsto be in use and storing signatures of listening apparatuses other thanthe first listening apparatus; a wireless transceiver connected to therandom access controller, for receiving and sending messages over thewireless ad-hoc network and relaying messages to the random accesscontroller; a profile storage and matching unit connected to the randomaccess controller, for storing music preference as a first profile andperform matching between profiles of the listening apparatuses otherthan the first listening apparatus; and a music playback unit connectedto the random access controller, for storing and playing music, wherebythe first listening apparatus can synchronize playing music with thelistening apparatuses other than the first listening apparatus withagreement from all parties.
 22. The system as claimed in claim 21,wherein the wireless transceiver is implemented by short-range radiotechnologies.
 23. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein thewireless transceiver is implemented by a Bluetooth technology.
 24. Thesystem as claimed in claim 21, wherein the music playback unit comprisesa digital music device.
 25. The system as claimed in claim 21, whereinthe music playback unit comprises a MP3 player.
 26. The system asclaimed in claim 21, wherein the profile storage and matching unit candetermine match based on a criterion.
 27. An interactive multi-partylinking music listening system comprising at least two listeningapparatuses communicating over a wireless ad-hoc network, wherein one ofthe listening apparatuses is a first listening apparatus, the firstlistening apparatus at least comprising: a first signature to identifythe first listening apparatus; a plurality of channels for communicatingbetween the listening apparatuses, wherein channels include at least onepublic channel for advertising the first signature; a controlledinterface for enabling interactive communication over the wirelessad-hoc network; a random access controller for instructing the channelsto be in use and storing signatures of listening apparatuses other thanthe first listening apparatus; a wireless transceiver connected to therandom access controller, for receiving and sending messages over thewireless ad-hoc network and relaying messages to the random accesscontroller; a display screen, for showing signatures or names orinformation of the listening apparatuses other than the first listeningapparatus to a user; a selection device that the user uses to accept orreject the listening apparatuses other than the first listeningapparatus; a music playback unit connected to the random accesscontroller, for storing and playing music, whereby the first listeningapparatus can synchronize playing music with the listening apparatusesother than the first listening apparatus with agreement from allparties.
 28. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the wirelesstransceiver is implemented by short-range radio technologies.
 29. Thesystem as claimed in claim 27, wherein the wireless transceiver isimplemented by a Bluetooth technology.
 30. The system as claimed inclaim 27, wherein the music playback unit comprises a digital musicdevice.
 31. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the musicplayback unit comprises a MP3 player.
 32. The system as claimed in claim27, wherein the user can determine to accept or reject based on acriterion.